Wear Behavior of WC-12%Co Coatings Produced by Air Plasma Spraying at Different Standoff Distances

Abstract

Tungsten carbide (WC-Co) coatings are extensively utilized in tribological environments. WC-12%Co coatings had been produced by utilizing an air plasma spraying system. The coatings were produced at different spraying distances, which affected the microstructure and the formation of different metallurgical phases of the coating. The six coating systems produced at 80- to 130-mm standoff distances were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and a tribometer for wear rate and coefficient of friction (COF). The properties of the coatings were correlated with the microstructure, formation of different phases, and residual stresses of the coating. It was observed that the spraying distance from 100 to 110 mm resulted in optimum wear properties.

KEY WORDS:

• WC-12%Co Coating
• Standoff Distance
• Air Plasma Spraying
• Residual Stresses
• Wear Rate
• Coefficient of Friction

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of UET, Lahore, and technical support of IICS and PCSIR Laboratories. The authors are also grateful to Khalid Mehmood, Khalid Shah, Dr. Shahzad Alam, and Khawar Shoaib for their technical support.